Page 60 of The Naga

When I looked down, Khush was watching me with definite heat in his eyes, and I felt my cheeks go hot. "Stop staring at me and get up," I told him as I turned around and hurried down the stairs.

Once we'd showered and dressed in fresh clothes, we left the cabin, making our way through the Forest like every day. Silas and Touya met us halfway, and Keoni clattered in a minute later, and as we greeted each other good morning and chatted about nothing, my heart felt full and happy and completely content.

A lifetime of this didn't sound bad at all.

Epilogue

A Few Weeks Later

Khush

I smiled down atthe note on my phone, surprised it was still there. I hadn't looked at it in a while, but there it was. My little bucket list. There weren't all that many things on it. I hadn't actually gotten around to thinking about it too deeply when I first came up with it, so I'd just listed out the things that had jumped out in my mind.

Dustin snored as he lay beside me, and I glanced over at him with a smile. I'd woken up a few minutes ago, but since he seemed to be sleeping so peacefully, I'd decided against waking him up until we needed to head for breakfast.

Turning back to my phone, I read through my list, smiling wider when I reached the last two:

Get coffee at an actual coffee shop

Go to a real beach

Visit a bookstore

Fall in love

Find my mate

Who would have known that my attempt to cross one item off the list would end up crossing off two more? I certainly hadn't expected it. I was the luckiest man in the world.

Dustin groaned in his sleep, and his eyes flicked open. He shot upright and, before I could speak, raced out of the room.

Surprised, I followed after him, slipping down the stairs as fast as I could.

Hearing him in the other bedroom, I rushed inside to find the bathroom door open. The sound of Dustin heaving reached me, and I hurried to his side, lowering myself so I could rub his back. Why was he sick? Our bond was strong now, and he should be above such things. This shouldn't be possible. Not unless...

Dustin whimpered, and I hushed him softly as I rubbed his back, wishing there was more I could do.

When it looked like he didn't have anything left in him to vomit, I filled a glass with water, bringing it back to him. He swished some water in his mouth before spitting it into the toilet bowl, and I helped him up, then watched as he washed his face.